Berzerk is overrated.

[bergbros]

I know that some put Berzerk as their favorite. I can't for the simple reason that the robots can not fire diagnolly. That removes a huge element and challenge from the gameplay. That and the six mazes only and the result is a game that gets pretty repetitive quickly.

[kyle]

i HATE THE GAME and i was thinking i was the only one that did.

[DuckandCover]

Wow...frankly, I've always enjoyed the 2600 version of Berzerk. I was a big fan of the con-op in "the day", and was pretty thrilled when the cart was released To this day, I'll still plug the cart in the old woodgrain box once in a while, and blast a few bots.

 

I grant you that the 2600 version lost some things from the arcade game in the translation, including the aforementioned diagonal shots and limited number of mazes. I guess, somewhere along the line, I started thinking of the 2600 Berzerk as a game in its own right, rather than consistently comparing it with the coin-op. Once you hit the later levels of the 2600 version, the game is fast paced, crazy fun. Sure, it's repetitive, but I find the manic run and gun action to be very engaging. Once the robots start scurrying and shooting at a rapid pace, I always find it amusing to see how long I can survive, and how many points I can rack up.

 

I'll admit, I'm a simple soul who's easily amused I'm sure that many could make a good arguement that the Berzerk cart is vastly overrated. But, I think a lot of Atari fans find it a blast to play. Simple? Yes. Repetitive? Sure. But it's still a nice, fast action fix that's a great way to kill a little time.

[Fretwobbler]

Fight like a robot man, Berzerk is good.

 

Adam

[NE146]

I liked Berzerk. It was a great translation. But I 100% agree with you that the lack of diagonal shots from the robots hurt the game in the long run. You can ALWAYS shoot them safely with no fear of a countershot and thus the game gets too easy even at it's highest levels.

 

But having said that, I still think it's a great translation... at least for the 2600

[Atarian7]

YOu gotta love the way the character walks though.

And those electrocutions.

[ATARIPITBULL]

Berzerk is great!, I think this a very fun game to play.

[Noble Kale]

quote

i HATE THE GAME

Them's fightin words!

[Cassidy Nolen]

You know, that seems to be the most widely converted upright game in existence. I have had at least 25 Stern cabinets that have been converted to one thing or another.

 

I do not care much for the 2600 translation, although I think it is fairly accurate. I just did not get hooked on the game. Of course, I like Bump N Jump, what do I know?

 

Cassidy

[StanJr]

Yeah, without the diagonal shots, the game gets much eaiser. I played it one night for like 3 hours (trying to roll the game) but it got so repetitive and boring that I couldn't take anymore. I had like 6 bazillion extra lives. It took another 15 minutes to kill them all off.

 

I like the game, but I'm soured on it.

[pitfallaimee]

I like Berzerk! I mean, it's not great but it's better than hitting yourself in the face with a waffle iron.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

The reason for the missing diagonal shots could be problems with programming the necessary AI. It's a bit easier to calculate, if a robot is on the same line or row than on the same diagonal.

 

Maybe one day, I'll disassemble Berzerk and try to add the diagonal shooting feature.

[Atari freak 1]

quote

I like Berzerk! I mean, it's not great but it's better than hitting yourself in the face with a waffle iron.  

 

Good point!

 

[ 04-28-2002: Message edited by: Atari freak 1 ]

[ubersaurus]

That would go down as being one of the coolest hacks ever.

[Eduardo]

I do like Berzerk for the VCS. I don't think is overrated at all, it's fun to play. Perhaps you are comparing it to it's Arcade counterpart, and that's not fair.

 

You need to understand two things first:

 

1) The VCS-2600 has very limited hardware, 128 bytes of RAM and ROM size is always smaller than it's arcade counterpart. It's no surprise to see that some Arcade ports made for the 2600 lack some of the original features, still you have to admit that VCS programmers had a lot of balls just to attempt to port some Arcade games like Star Wars into the good'ol VCS, you can't deny they had to go trough a lot of effort to attempt to squeeze the most juice they could from it to make'em look as good as possible using such limited resources.

 

2) Put your self back in the early 80's for a second, You're a kid with an Atari 2600 sitting on top of your TV (you had to go trough a lot to make your dad buy your VCS and there is no way he will spend in another game console any soon), you love to play Arcade games like Berzerk, Phoenix, Space Invaders or Asteroids, the best thing it could happen to you was to find out that your Atari actually could play those games right in your own living room, this was like the only way for many of us to play Arcade games, of course they look a bit different than the original Arcades but what the hell, it was like the only way to be able to play'em over and over with your friends right in your home, see? I mean you have to be grateful to be lucky enough to play those games just using your VCS.

[Nukey Shay]

Yes indeedy...it would be more involved AI, but not impossible.

 

Atari freak 1--

I thought Aimee was a girl?

Or the robot seen in Red Planet?

[bradjewell]

I enjoy berzerk, and it was one of my faves back in the day. Sometimes, when you go back to things you liked as a child theyre not always as good. I've watched movies and TV shows that I adored as a child and some just aren't as good anymore. I still love my GI joes, atari, legos, and others.. But some things just lose their magic.

I'll have to dig out berzerk to see if it holds up.

 

Brad

[Skatepunk60]

I like Berzerk but hey i occasionally play and enjoy the 3 mythicon games and i always play 2600 pacman

[NE146]

Thomas, if that's even possible that WOULD make it one of the top hacks of a 2600 Arcade port around! (right up there with 'a Better Pacman')

 

Not to drift too far off subject but ever notice recent times have been great in the 2600 arcade port arena? (a favorite subject of mine - and the majority of my childhood collection) Look, now we got:

 

A better Pacman

Asteroids DC w/ pseudo 'vector' graphics

Galaxian w/closer graphics and space background

Arcade Graphic Space Invaders (sorry had to throw one of mine in as well)

Mario Bros w/ improved graphics

and of course the controller hacks to Battlezone and Omega race.

 

Times are good for 2600 arcade action

[Thomas Jentzsch]

quote:

---

Originally posted by NE146:

Thomas, if that's even possible that WOULD make it one of the top hacks of a 2600 Arcade port around! (right up there with 'a Better Pacman')

---

Please, don't get to enthusiastic.

 

I'm not trying this hack now and I'm not even sure that it will be possible at all (inside the current 4K ROM). And if it should work, it could also result in worse gameplay, because diagonal shots are more likely to hit other robots and walls. I think, I must have a look at the arcade original to get an idea of the necessary AI.

 

Let's wait and see...

[NE146]

oh no worries. I had no expectations that you were actually going to do it. I only was saying IF it were possible and accordingly, IF you should try and do it and succeed.

 

No pressure dude

 

[ 04-25-2002: Message edited by: NE146 ]

[Ze_ro]

Normally I'm not this superficial, but I think without the voices, Berzek loses a lot of atmosphere. Seriously, part of the thrill was having the robots taunt you as you ran around and shot them. But anyways, Berzerk isn't so bad for the Atari. The challenge goes up when the robots start being able to fire a LOT faster than you.

 

I just wish your character could run a little faster...

 

--Zero

[mos6507]

I think Berzerk gets plenty hard in the higher levels because the robots tend to get deposited right next to you at level-start which is quite a handicap, and their shots and movements are so fast that you really have little time to react.

 

If the robots could shoot diagonally, their bolts would probably have to move like the guy's shots do, sliding while pointing at a straight angle, which would be harder to evade than the arcade's diagonal beams.

 

The 2600 could do an HMOVE on a single-width missile to get a 45' angle on the sprite, but there might not be enough time in the kernel to do so.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Glenn Saunders:

The 2600 could do an HMOVE on a single-width missile to get a 45' angle on the sprite, but there might not be enough time in the kernel to do so.

---

The shots are missiles not sprites, but you are right. The kernel is already running without WSYNC in most lines. That means: no free time for diagonal displayed missiles.

 

[ 04-26-2002: Message edited by: Thomas Jentzsch ]

[SlimJim26]

I don't know how you can call any 2600 game overrated since the technology back then was so primitive. I think back in the day, a game was either good or it was bad. And Berzerk was definitely a good game.